Recalled leaders in South Gate, CA, spent $2.1 million in final week, draining reserves.

l.a. times | Feb. 21, 03 | Richard Marosi

[churchillbuff]

A Parting Shot in South Gate

Recalled leaders spent $2.1 million -- mostly for legal fees -- in their final week in office, draining reserves.

By Richard Marosi, Times Staff Writer

South Gate political leaders thrown out of office in a recall election last month drained the city's reserve in a weeklong, $2.1-million spending spree that didn't stop until hours before the new council was sworn in.

Starting on the day they were overwhelmingly rejected by voters in the Jan. 28 recall election, former Mayor Xochilt Ruvalcaba and Treasurer Albert Robles signed the checks, with most of the money earmarked for attorneys the ousted officials had hired.

...

snip

The revelations form a closing chapter to the former leaders' turbulent two-year reign. During that time, the southeast Los Angeles County city endured corruption investigations, civic unrest and unruly council meetings that were topped off this month when Ruvalcaba slugged a council member in front of hundreds of residents....

[Sloth]

That's because party affliation has nothing to do with the crime. Demo's are not automatically criminals. Any more than Republicans are whacked out vigilantes. But if you prefer the stereotypes to the truth then be my guest. You do have the right to 1st amendment after all.

Nonsense. Of course, some Repubs are corrupts, just as some Dimwits follow the law (after a fashion). But liberal media outlets will fall all over themselves to identify Republicans who get in trouble or look bad, while Democrats suddenly become partyless. I find that interesting.

[NormsRevenge]

This is all I could find in FR search, it won;t return any results beyond a couple of weeks.. argh.

I remember seeing and I think posting one myself in mid to late January re: the South Gate council and corruption. Here's one other that does show up.

Recalled South Gate (CA) mayor punches councilman at her last meeting

[Regulator]

That is precisely what happened here, and all sappy comments to the contrary are clueless. This is MEXICO in all its "glory" - only in Mexico it wouldn't have ended with their removal, it would have ended with them using weapons on the pitiful souls who tried to oust them. And they would still be there, running their mafia operation.

And for those of you who think "well, this is the U.S., that won't stand here!" - uh, this is just the beginning. Right now there are still enough Americans left to enforce things like election law in California, but with the birth rate (Hispanic: 51%; White: 33%), it's really only a matter of time before that won't happen. Yeah, Yeah, I know, corruption isn't genetic. But culture is, and the feudal corrupt culture of Mexico is what a lot of the children born now will be brought up in.

Hold on to your seats, kiddies. This is just the beginning.

[Texas_Jarhead]

they never do. there was a big corruption scandal in San Antonio involving dimocRATs but the media never talked about their political affiliation

[Texas_Jarhead]

prolly one of them new fangled dual citizens

[Amerigomag]

It's not immigration, and it's not skin color, but rather it is the result of a partisan press pushing unqualified candidates due to their electability and/or "fit" for a political agenda.

With the exception of the corruption allegation this pattern of incompetant city adminstrations and childish behavior at public meetings is rapant in the southwestern US where 1st and 2nd generation immigrants are gaining politcal control.

Most of this mismagnement and ill fitting behavior can be attributed to role models (or lack of) in their native countries and their lack of experience and expertise in managing medium sized businesses.

I am not familiar with either the municipality mentioned in this piece or the background of the actors but I can assure you that the picture painted in this article is occuring all over central California in rural communities that are politically dominated by recent immigrants.

[connectthedots]

RICO anyone? or are municipal workers immune?

No one is immune from RICO charges because it can never be within a public officials duties to commit crimes. RICO in the case would be very appropriate.

[thegreatbeast]

Due process my ass! If I were the new mayor, I'd have the police chief slam them in jail until this is sorted out. Intercourse them if they can't take a joke!

[cake_crumb]

These folks need their assets frozen immediately. Will Grey Davis send out the attack dogs to defend them?

[ErnBatavia]

I see a U.S. DOJ investigation in these creeps future..

Nope - not a thang will happen to them; "city charter", you know.....censure (means nothing, since they're gone) at best.

[Republicus2001]

the local monies had been long gone...in the end it was just federal money, mabbe DOJ will ride into town

[cake_crumb]

True...waiting for a deposit of federal money, then writing the last checks on it SHOULD bring the DOJ down on them.

[Texas_Jarhead]

what? due process? What'd I say?

[tubebender]

Is this kind of corruption being imported with out-of-control immigration?

Naa...this is just the Farm Team for Washington DC.

[saminfl]

Demo's are not automatically criminals.

Well most, if not all, democrats appeared to approve of the Clinton's behavior.

[Psycho_Bunny]

"That's because party affliation has nothing to do with the crime. Demo's are not automatically criminals. Any more than Republicans are whacked out vigilantes. But if you prefer the stereotypes to the truth then be my guest. You do have the right to 1st amendment after all."

Oh puleeze.  Had these two been Republicans the first paragraph would have been

South Gate Republican political leaders thrown out of office they held as Republicans in a recall election against Republicans last month drained the city's reserve in a weeklong, $2.1-million Republican spending spree that didn't stop until hours before the new non-Republican council was sworn in.

[Cooter]

Xochilt Ruvalcaba

[Southack]

And in other news: Topless dancer gets voted into city council, mismanges city government, loots city treasury, and gets recalled by irate voters... < / SARCASM >

[Almondjoy]

No the difference is that most Democrats believe in the freedom to live one's life at their choosing without moral pundits telling them what to do. Republicans are the most close minded people on the planet. True Republicans anyways. I agree with most of what the Republicans stand for.. just not the idiotcy that reins from the Bible Belt.

Correction to the above.. when i say live one's life at their choosing I mean by behavior that is not harmful to others.. such as being homosexual.. having an affair(takes two to tango).. and other like acts.

[Almondjoy]

I would agree with you on that competely. Although what makes me a Republican and what I like best about the party is we don't play silly little games. We shoot straight from the hip.. why do you think George Bush is in office? The guy rarely thinks before he speaks.. he shoots from the hip.. the gut.. whatever you want to call it. He's a good man.. like Rumsfield.. he might be the best example of all.